It has now been 4 years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it is coming up to the 4th anniversary of the setting up of the Haslemere for Ukraine group which helped Ukrainians who came to Haslemere and their host families. 

A key element of this initiative was to ensure that Ukrainians had the opportunity to either learn English for the first time or to improve existing English skills through the provision of free English lessons. Lessons were initially run by volunteers at Pathways (now the home of the Community Fridge) but they quickly outgrew the space and lessons moved to the Haslemere Leisure Centre.

What also quickly became clear was that the need for English lessons was much greater than just amongst the Ukrainian community here. 

Jo Mackay, founder of Haslemere for Ukraine, said, 'From my involvement in other groups within Haslemere, it was obvious to me that there was a need for English lessons amongst other groups within our community. We applied for funding from Waverley to pay for a teacher which allowed us to open the lessons up to all nationalities.'

Local resident, Claire Gordon, has been running these lessons since April 2022. It's clear that she is a passionate teacher who loves seeing the progress that her students make. She also loves seeing the friendships formed between different nationalities at these lessons. 'It is a real melting pot of cultures. We currently have students not just from Ukraine but also from Brazil, Pakistan, Hungary, Korea, Romania and Colombia. We have also had students from Iran, Spain and Bangladesh in the past.' 

Claire speaks very highly of the team at the Haslemere Leisure Centre. Since 2022, they have provided her with the space to teach completely free of charge: 'All the staff, including the centre manager, Ashley Miles, have been incredibly supportive of the lessons. The team have also helped many students join classes and use the gym and pool at the centre, which has had great benefits for both physical and mental health.' 

The classes are structured into three levels, so there’s a lesson for nearly everyone who wants to attend. However, for a while, Claire has been conscious that the timings of these lessons (historically held two mornings a week) meant that those who worked full time often missed out on the opportunity to take part. She also points out that, 'Many of the students who started in the beginner class have transitioned through the levels and have now found work locally. Many of these students now plan to attend the evening classes after work to continue to improve their English.' As a result, some clever diary juggling has meant that, for the first time, she will be offering lessons in the evening too. 

Starting this week, lessons will now take place on a Tuesday morning between 9 and 12 and also on a Tuesday evening from 6 pm to 7 pm for intermediates and from 7 pm to 8 pm for beginners. Students are, of course, welcome to attend both sessions.

Finally, Claire adds, 'It’s a real pleasure to have been part of these lessons as they have evolved over the past 4 years. Not only are the classes a chance for students to improve their language skills but it’s also been a real journey of building friendships and connecting different parts of our community. Many people don’t realise that Haslemere has so much diversity and I hope our lessons give students the confidence to integrate and enjoy all the great things we have on offer in Haslemere.'

For more information and to join the classes, please contact Claire at english@haslemereforukraine.com.